Telecommunications networks often use enclosures for containing and protecting telecommunications equipment (e.g., splice locations, optical splitters, multi-plexers, connection panels, etc.). Enclosures used in outside environments are desirably sealed to prevent moisture intrusion. Gel seals have worked extremely well for providing perimeter seals between bases and covers of enclosures and for providing seals at any other types of interfaces between housing pieces of an enclosure. An example gel sealed enclosure is disclosed at U.S. Pat. No. 7,603,018, International Publication Nos. WO-99/41531, WO-2014/128137 A2. While gel seals are effective for preventing moisture intrusion, such gel seals typically become less effective after the seals have been disrupted or broken a number of times. Therefore, gel seals are often not used to seal components that are intended to be closed and reopened many times. Instead, elastomeric seals such as O-ring seals are often used. A problem with O-ring seals is that such seals often require relatively large clamping forces to ensure adequate sealing.
Most such seals are “axial seals” configured to be compressed in the same orientation as the direction of movement of the housing pieces being sealed. Thus, performance is dependent upon the exact relative position of the housing pieces in the direction of movement of the housing pieces. Typically, multiple latches are positioned around a perimeter of the enclosure to provide the necessary force required to close the cover and bottom pieces together.
EP 1053419 B1 discloses a sealing interface having a shaped elastomeric sealing member that is used to provide a seal between two housing pieces. In use, the elastomeric sealing member forms a “radial seal” within a channel of one of the housing pieces. Radial seals are seals that are compressed in an orientation perpendicular to the direction of movement of the housing pieces being sealed. Other configurations are desirable in the area of radial seals.